Syria

Syrian ISF Arrest Members of a Dangerous ISIS-Affiliated Cell in Latakia

The Syrian ISF command in Latakia announced on Monday that security units had apprehended members of one of the most dangerous ISIS-aligned cells during a precision operation in the al-Badrusiya area of northern Latakia countryside, as reported by SANA. Brigadier General Abdulaziz Hilal al-Ahmad, Commander of Internal Security in Latakia ...

Syria: Israeli Forces Conduct Incursions, Set Up Checkpoints in Quneitra

Israeli army carried out multiple incursions into Syrian villages in the Quneitra countryside on Monday evening, a SANA correspondent reported. A unit of three vehicles entered the village of Ruweihina, establishing a checkpoint near the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) post along the road connecting Ruweihina with the villages ...

Netanyahu Visits Israeli Troops in Syria Beyond Ceasefire Line

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday told Israeli troops deployed in Syria in a buffer zone intended to separate the two countries' forces that their presence was hugely important for safeguarding Israel. When Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power in December last year, Israel sent troops into the UN-patrolled ...

Syrians in Lebanon: Returns Rise, But New Arrivals Continue

Nearly a year after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December, the debate over the future of Syrian refugees in Lebanon has reignited. As conditions inside Syria evolve, Lebanon and international organizations – namely the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – are coordinating ...

The World Tired of Lebanon’s Stalling: A Possible Return to Syrian Influence?

The Lebanese file no longer provides meaningful political leverage for the countries involved. Neither U.S. President Donald Trump nor French President Emmanuel Macron has been able to exert decisive influence. A Western diplomatic source described the situation as exhausting and frustrating, noting that Lebanese officials often tell foreign ...

Austria Charges Two Syrian Ex-officials over Civil War Crimes

Prosecutors in Austria on Wednesday said they have charged two officials of Syria's former government for allegedly abusing detained civilians during the country's brutal civil war. Austria hosts one of the biggest Syrian diasporas in Europe, and several similar cases related to crimes committed during the Syrian civil war have been heard in the ...

For Many Syrians, Ahmad al-Sharaa's US Visit Marks New Beginning

On the streets of Damascus on Tuesday, Syrians viewed their leader's visit to Washington as a shift towards the West that could pave the way to reviving the country's war-battered economy. On Monday, Donald Trump received Ahmad al-Sharaa, a first for a Syrian head of state since independence in 1946 and a crowning achievement for the ...

Thieves Steal Ancient Treasures From Syria’s National Museum

Thieves made off with several ancient gold ingots from Syria's national museum in Damascus, a security source and another close to the institution's management said Tuesday. The museum was spared during Syria's destructive civil war that ran from 2011 to late last year and houses priceless artifacts dating back to antiquity. The robbery took ...

Syria Joins Alliance Against Islamic State After White House Talks

Syria is joining the global coalition against the Islamic State group, a US official said Monday, hours after President Donald Trump welcomed his Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Sharaa for historic White House talks. Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, was the first Syrian leader to visit the White House ...

Washington Partially Suspends Caesar Act Sanctions

The US Department of the Treasury announced the suspension of sanctions imposed on Syria under the Caesar Act, coinciding with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House, where he was received by US President Donald Trump. In a statement, the Treasury specified that the suspension does not include transactions involving Russia ...

Syria: From Pariah State to a Guest in Washington

This Monday, Donald Trump is hosting Ahmad al-Sharaa at the White House. It is a historic moment: never before has a Syrian president been officially received in Washington since the country gained independence in 1946. The event symbolizes the end of half a century of hostility between the two capitals. For a long time, Syria was one of the most ...